Every Time I Die Guitarist Andy Williams Talks ‘From Parts Unknown,’ Wrestling + More

Every Time I Die have carved their name as being one of the most interesting and unique bands out there today. After selling out Webster Hall in New York City last year, they returned earlier this year with The Used. They’re also doing European festivals and are headlining this year’s Common Vision Tour.

All of this touring is in support of their latest album From Parts Unknown and during a stop in in New York we had the chance to sit down with guitarist Andy Williams about the band’s latest release as well as his other passion, wrestling. You may have recently seen him bodyslam a pro wrestler in the ring. He also chats about working with members of the Gaslight Anthem and Coalesce. Check out our interview with Andy Williams of Every Time I Die below:

Talk about the latest album From Parts Unknown.

Keith [Buckley] chose the name, some people think I chose the name because I’m obsessed with wrestling but it has nothing to do with wrestling. We were just coming from a different place lyrically and more is on the record and just a bunch of things that we normally would never do. It’s just about coming from a different place on this record.

Have you always been a wrestling fan?

Yes, actually, I’m training to be a pro wrestler. This wrestling federation in England hit me up and asked me to do some stuff for them over there. When we have time off, I’m going to try to go do some shows. It’s going to be rad.

When I was probably 10 years old, I got asked to do an art project where you take something out of a magazine and you paint over it and I chose a picture of Ric Flair stabbing Greg Valentine in the head and I still have the painting. My whole life I’ve been into pro wrestling.

On the latest album From Parts Unknown you guys collaborated with Sean Ingram (of Coalesce) and Brian Fallon (of Gaslight Anthem). How was this experience?

I’ll tell you this I was terrified about Brian because I was like how the f--- do you get a guy with that unique of a voice and do what we do? He f---in’ nailed it. They were in Nashville recording a new record at the time so he was already warmed up. He did a take of lower octaves, higher octaves, middle octaves, kind of screamy, and more vibrato than he normally does. It was insane.

With Sean, we’re like the biggest Coalesce fans, Every Time I Die wouldn’t sound the way we did if it wasn’t for Coalesce. We asked Sean to do it and he goes, “I’m going to need like three weeks to train.” [Laughs] So he would drive around in his car and scream to make sure his voice was up to par. It was so rad. We were really fortunate, the Coalesce dudes and Converge and the Dillinger Escape Plan kind of took us under their wings early on.

You guys covered “Tourette's” by Nirvana on the Salem EP. Is there another specific band or song out there you would love to cover?

I’ve always wanted to cover “Rusty Cage” by Soundgarden, it’s right up our alley and has a weird breakdown at the end.

What does the rest of 2015 have in store for you and the rest of Every Time I Die?

So much, Jordan [Buckley] is having a kid, I have my wrestling stuff, we do some festivals in Europe, we’re playing a bunch of shows with Faith No More which is amazing. We come back to do a tour in the U.S., we’re doing the Common Vision Tour then we go back an do a U.K. tour. We’ll probably finish the year with a small club tour in the States.

With all of this touring, what is one non-electronic item you must have on tour with you?

Oh my gosh, non-electronic? It would probably have to be my shaving kit. I have a kit with lather and stuff like that, I started taking shaving really seriously. It sucks because I started taking all of these provisions to not create bumps and stuff and the other day I had no time to shave my face and I botched myself up pretty bad. It’s not an electronic shaving kit, everything is electronic now. My computer got stolen in Europe and it feel kind of good not having it. So now I hope my phone gets stolen now so I don’t have to talk to people ever again.

What made you go with the mustache?

I don’t know, I had the beard for a long time and I kind of got sick of people coming up and touching it. In the street you would never just go up to someone and touch their beard. I don’t know I’ve gotten really into fitness like two years ago and I like the fact of looking like an old 19th century strong man.